The cloth needed to be cut exactly to size, long enough on both sides so that the inspection committee could stand on the cloth itself and not notice the trap beneath. While Houdini used the existence of the long rug beneath the wall to prove he was not using trap doors, in fact the cloth or rug was essential to the trick.

The screen on the other side of the wall is removed, revealing Houdini. Houdini raises his hands and shouts to the audience, 'Here I am.' With that the screen is removed and Houdini is gone. Another screen of the same size is placed on the other side of the wall. A six foot screen is placed around the performer, and takes up not more than a third of the stage. The floor is covered with two large cloths, each a single piece. The trick begins with the audience looking at a 9 foot high brick wall built across the stage from front to back, so that the audience can see both sides. On May 4th, 1914 A London magician, named Sidney Josolyne signed an agreement giving Houdini the rights to perform a trick of walking through a steel wall.

Houdini best magic trick